Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (BEECOM)

doi:10.1017/9781009398275.027

Chapter 26 - Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (BEECOM)

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 November 2025

Jessica F. Saunders and

Ellen E. Fitzsimmons-Craft

Edited by

Virginia Ramseyer Winter ,

Tracy L. Tylka and

Antoinette M. Landor

Show author details

Virginia Ramseyer Winter: Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
Tracy L. Tylka: Affiliation:
Ohio State University
Antoinette M. Landor: Affiliation:
University of Missouri

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Summary

The 18-item Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (BEECOM; Fitzsimmons-Craft, Bardone-Cone, & Harney, 2012 assesses body-, eating-, and exercise-related social comparison tendencies. The BEECOM [scale abbreviation] can be administered online and in person to adults and is free to use in any setting. This chapter first discusses the development of the BEECOM and then provides evidence of its psychometrics. More specifically, the BEECOM has been found to have three-factor structure within exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and demonstrates invariance across age, gender, and eating disorder history status. Internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and incremental validity support the use of the BEECOM. Next, this chapter provides the BEECOM items in their entirety, instructions for administering the BEECOM to participants, the item response scale, and the scoring procedure. A nine-item abbreviated form is offered, and translations are provided. Logistics of use, such as permissions, copyright, and contact information, are provided for readers.

Keywords

Body Eating Exercise Comparison orientation Measure BEECOM body comparison eating comparison exercise comparison appearance comparison scale development psychometric evidence factor structure reliability validity administration scoring

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Handbook of Body Image-Related Measures , pp. 79 - 81

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009398275.027 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2025

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References

Donovan, C. L., & Uhlmann, L. (2022). Looking at me, looking at you: The mediating roles of body surveillance and social comparison in the relationship between fit ideal internalisation and body dissatisfaction. Eating Behaviors, 47, 101678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101678.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., & Bardone-Cone, A. M. (2014). One-year temporal stability and predictive and incremental validity of the Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (BEECOM) among college women. Body Image, 11(1), 27–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2013.09.003.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Bardone-Cone, A. M., & Harney, M. B. (2012). Development and validation of the Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (BEECOM) among college women. Body Image, 9(4), 476–487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2012.07.007.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Paterna, A., Alcaraz-Ibáñez, M., & Sicilia, A. (2023). Psychometric examination of the body, eating, and exercise comparison orientation measure (BEECOM) among Spanish adolescents and young adults. Nutrients, 15(3), 626. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030626.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Sahlan, R.N, Saunders, J. F., Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., & Taravatrooy, F. (2020). The validity and reliability of the Farsi version of the Body, Eating, and Exercise Comparison Orientation Measure (F-BEECOM) among male and female students. Body Image, 34, 72–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.05.006.CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Saunders, J. F., Eaton, A. A., & Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E. (2019). Body-, eating-, and exercise-related comparisons during eating disorder recovery and validation of the BEECOM-R. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 43(4), 494–508. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684319851718.CrossRef Google Scholar

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